About Broadway Studios / Fab Mab

The building at 435–443 Broadway stands as a dual-level monument to San Francisco’s cultural evolution, housing both the legendary Mabuhay Gardens (the “Fab Mab”) and On Broadway (later Broadway Studios). Built in 1919 as Garibaldi Hall, an Italian men’s club and jazz-era ballroom, hosting icons like Louis Armstrong and later Allen Ginsberg.

The downstairs, Mabuhay Gardens, later became the epicenter for the 1970s and ’80s punk explosion, featuring Dead Kennedys, Blondie, The Avengers, The Police, Ramones, Devo, The Go-Go’s, Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, and Metallica. The upstairs, On Broadway, has featured comedy sets by Dave Chappelle, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg.

Today, the complex remains a vital multi-use landmark in North Beach, recently reclaiming the Mabuhay name to honor its 50-year legacy of defiance and artistic innovation while continuing to host modern music, comedy, and high-tech events.